Choices
by vernus
Summary: My take on a possible alternate ending to the series. Characters return to Solara, and will be given a chance to continue their lives in whichever territory they want.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: I was really unsatisfied with the ending of the Soldiers of Halla, so I thought I'd try to write an alternate one. Please R&R, constructive criticism welcome. Contains spoilers for Soldiers of Halla.**

"Don't you think it's a little unfair?" Bobby asked Uncle Press. They were the only ones left in the Taj Mahal amongst the ruins of the Ravinian Conclave that had been recently destroyed. Light filtered through the stained glass mosaics on the ceiling and reflected off the marble floors. The flume glowed brightly in the center of the room, in front of the abandoned thrones of Saint Dane and Nevva Winter, both of whom were now dead. "That we worked so hard to save the lives that we don't even get to live out?"

Uncle Press didn't respond at first, but after a while he nodded. "Sorry, Bobby. This is the way it was meant to be."

Bobby nodded and left the room to finish writing his journals for the last time, and Uncle Press stood there staring at the flume for a long time.

Mark and Courtney decided not to go there the day that Bobby was to return to Solara. Bobby had been Mark's best friend his entire life, from being playmates in kindergarten to fighting the dado army together. They'd been inseparable, even if they had been on separate territories for the larger part of the last few years. The thought that they would never see each other again was unbearable – worse than anything Mark had experienced as a rebel enemy of the Ravinians.

Courtney felt even worse. She still wasn't used to failure, and she'd been thrilled to help the exiles defeat Saint Dane so that she could be a part of the movement to save Halla. At many times, it had been hard, but the knowledge that Mark and Bobby were out there kept her motivated and strong. She hadn't anticipated this – that as illusions, the Travelers would all return to Solara. She loved Bobby, even though they weren't the same at all. She was a creature of Halla, Bobby a spirit of Solara. They'd fought such a tough fight to be together, but it wasn't destined to happen that way.

They had dinner together with Maddie the cab-driver and another of Mark's rebel army that had helped them save Halla in a quiet diner at the border of the Ravinian complex which was being re-constructed as the base of a new city. Nobody said anything as they ate.

Bobby jumped into the flume.

Instead of the crystal tunnels (they had been all destroyed), he was enveloped in warm golden light and he hit soft ground. Sitting up, he knew he'd reached Solara – the beginning of all energy and all life. The ground was dirt, but it was covered in fresh soft green grass. All around, rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see and the entire valley was bathed in warm sunshine. He wasn't alone, because the other Travelers were all standing up in a circle around him.

Uncomfortably, Bobby got up at once and took a place in the circle. Uncle Press arrived last in a flash of light and landed on his feet. He looked around at the group.

Bobby hadn't known what to expect when he first returned to Solara, but it certainly wasn't this. He hadn't expected to have physical form, and he definitely hadn't expected to meet his friends again in their illusion forms. From all the spiritual stuff Uncle Press had told him, he'd expected to be in spirit form, somehow 'part of the others' in that way. Judging from the others' expressions, he wasn't the only one who was taken aback.

It was Loor who spoke up first. "Why are we still in physical form?" she asked.

"Because things have changed," said Uncle Press simply.

The other Travelers weren't letting him get away with such an elusive answer.

"I thought that when we returned, our spirits would become part of Solara's energy," Gunny Van Dyke said. Kasha and Spader started talking, but Siry cut in. "What have you done?"

"As I was preparing this flume, Bobby spoke to me," Uncle Press said. "And he's right. It isn't fair for you to return to Solara as spirits without getting to live what you fought so hard to protect. We've all gathered here to make choices."

Bobby looked around at the group – everyone, even the genius Aja Killian, looked like they had no idea what was going on. She was in the dark blue jumpsuit of the phaders of Veelox, when she had returned there to search for the exiles. Beside her was Patrick Mac, one of the few Travelers who'd been on Third Earth at the very end. Elli, Gunny, Kasha, Spader and Alder were on the other side of the circle. Loor and Siry stood nearest to Bobby, everyone looking to Press Tilton for the answers.

"You will all be given another chance at life," he said. "You'll be awarded the life of a creature of Halla, in any territory. You'll help to rebuild after the damage that was wrecked by Ravinia and Alexander Naymeer, and you will live the outcomes of what you've done to save Solara. When you die, your spirits will rest in Solara."

His words were greeted by a silence. Nobody knew how to react to his sudden announcement.

Bobby looked at Loor to see how she would react. Her expression was vacant, her eyes far away. However when she saw Bobby looking she gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's time for you to decide which territory you want to return to," Uncle Press said. He stepped back from the center of the circle and a white flume appeared there.

"Spader, you first."


	2. Chapter 2

"Will you return to Cloral?" Uncle Press asked.

"I don't know, man," Spader said after some thought. "I don't have any family there, and most of my friends are dead."

"You've still got Yenza for company," Bobby said jokingly, bringing on a round of laughter. "She'll be more than happy to have you back."

"Speaking of which, did Yenza survive the attack on Grallion?" asked Gunny.

"Of course," scoffed Spader. "Yenza'd survive anything."

"Spader and Gunny, you guys should go to Eelong," Kasha said. "You guys rebuilt Black Water before, you could do it again. Eelong would flourish much faster with your guidance."

Gunny shifted uncomfortably. "I kind of wanted to go back to the Manhattan Tower Hotel, resume my old job."

"The Manhattan Tower Hotel may not be there anymore," warned Uncle Press. "Part of New York was probably a Ravinian Conclave, and that's one of the most likely spots for one. Not to mention that the Ravinians tore down everything and rebuilt it to their liking."

"Are Dodger and Mark Dimond's parents still safe?" someone asked. It was Patrick.

"As presidents of the Dimond Alpha Digital Association, naturally, Mr and Mrs Dimond were Ravinians," Uncle Press said. "They didn't want to, but I persuaded them to stay on the safe side for themselves and for Mark."

"And Dodger?"

"From what I know, he got through based on his wit," Uncle Press said. "That Dodger's a smart fellow, he stayed alert and he survived. In any case, Gunny, First Earth is no longer what it used to be. All of you should remember your homes or jobs are probably nonexistent now. Gunny should be free to decide which territory he wants to help rebuild."

"I think I want to look for Dodger," Gunny said. "I never did get to thank him for everything he did to help me."

"He helped Courtney, Mark and his parents stay safe and try to stop the dados," Patrick added. "You should go to First Earth."

"Spader, you coming?" Gunny asked him. They'd been friends for a long time, when they'd been fighting to save First Earth and when they'd been trapped on Eelong together. In a way, they were almost best friends.

Spader looked at Kasha. "Sorry, Kasha. I'm sure Eelong'll develop in its own time, without the need of our guidance. I'm going with Gunny."

Bobby felt a strange sense of trepidation. He and Spader had been through a lot together, up to the point where they'd searched for exiles on Cloral and Zadaa and created the giant flume to save Third Earth. He wasn't ready for Spader to depart so quickly from his life.

Spader and Gunny weren't either. "I'm not ready for this," said Gunny softly. "We'll seriously never see any of the others again?"

"You will all become a part of Solara after your deaths," Uncle Press said. "Throughout your lives, though, you will not be able to travel. The aim is to restore the natural order of Halla. You will live as beings of Halla, not illusions."

"I can go first." Siry spoke up. "I need to return to Ibara and find out if any of my Jakills are still alive." He turned to the others. "Thanks for everything, especially Bobby." He looked at Bobby, and mutual understanding was reached. Bobby recalled the first time he'd met Siry – a juvenile delinquent, adventuring with his bunch of friends. Siry had matured a lot since then, but he was still the same brave and adventurous spirit.

"I'm going with Siry to Ibara," Aja said. "It's up to me to restore my vision of Ibara as the salvation of Veelox. Has Lifelight been destroyed?"

"When the Ravinians came, everything was destroyed," Uncle Press said. "Lifelight existed only for the Ravinians. The others were forced to do menial jobs outside the conclaves. Returning to Veelox, you could mold the future of the world. Now that Saint Dane has passed, there are only 7 worlds in Halla. You can return, but there's no telling where the flume will take you. It will bring you to the time where you are needed."

Farewells were said. Bobby knew almost all the Travelers better than anyone else, as he'd spent time with each of them at their own territories. He thought back to the time where he'd first gone to Veelox, and experienced the amazing technology known as Lifelight. Aja Killian had come close to saving the territory just on her own genius. Though ultimately she hadn't succeeded, she'd managed to salvage something from the ruins by creating a future. Without her, Siry would probably have never existed. As he held her in a tight embrace, he could hear Aja's sharp, serious voice in his ear, now gentler. "I'm sure I'll see you again someday."

They stepped back from one another, and she seemed to be handling her departure a lot better than Bobby was. It was strange, how in spite of everything, he was still the least composed, Bobby thought to himself. He spun around. Everyone was staring at him, Loor's eyes unfathomable.

_Veelox. _Said Uncle Press, and the flume came to life with its familiar musical notes that Siry and Aja would hear for the last time as they both stepped into the flume.

"I'll return to Earth with Pendragon, Gunny and Spader," said Patrick. "It has always been my home."

Mentally, Bobby agreed with him. Patrick certainly seemed to feel a stronger sense of belonging to his territory than any of the others did, so much so that he seemed to be out of his depth when he wasn't there. This helped them in the end, when Patrick sacrificed himself to save his home.

Press seemed reluctant to let the Earthbound travelers depart first, instead turning to Elli Winter. She was noticeably at peace ever since she'd gotten release from fulfilling her destiny as a traveler.

"Elli, I assume you will return to Quillan?" he asked.

Elli surprised everyone by shaking her head. "I haven't got much of life left to live," she said. "Indeed, there isn't much I ask for from life anymore. I'd prefer to return to Solara, as a spirit, and relinquish this form. I've already held onto it for too long."

There was understanding in Uncle Press' eyes. It was as though he'd been expecting it. "Then return you will," was all he said, and turned to look in the far distance. Bobby, along with the other Travelers, turned to follow his gaze. They were still standing in the valley of rolling hills. Now, they could see the distinct outline of gleaming ivory gates, rising from the ground, in the distance. Even as they watched, sunset-colored clouds were rolling into the sky, a glittering golden. Aquamarine water was sparkling somewhere. Rocky, ice-capped mountains were soaring – on a sunny day? The strangest thing was, the place whispered of life. It was glittering in the air, shining on its slopes, gleaming from its waters. None of it made sense, but it was a sight too beautiful to behold. The same look of awe was imprinted on every face.

Elli started walking towards the paradise, across the hills.


End file.
